Improvement in portable billiards



H. MEYER.

Improvement in Portable Billiards.

Patented July 2,1872.

"Ivm

UNITED STATES HERMAN MEYER, 0E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN PCRTABLE BILLIARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,557, dated July 2, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN MEYER, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Portable Billiards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a clear and exact description of the nature thereof sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a view of the cue. Fig. 2 is a to'p view of the cushion-band passing around the clamps secured to the table on which the game is to be played. Fig. 3 is a top view of l the casing in which the various parts of thel game are packed and adapted to be carried.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre' spending parts in the several iigures.

This invention relates to a game of the order of parlor-billiards, which is adapted to be packed in smallcom pass and rendered portable. It consists of a sectional cue. It also consists of a iiat band passing around posts secured to clamps, which are secured to a table on which the game is to be played, which band forms the cushion, and is prevented from vertical displacement by means of shoulders on the posts. It also consists of the combination of the various parts to formL a portable game of billiards.

Referring to the drawing, A may represent the top of a table on which the game is to be played. To each corner or end of the table I attach a clamp,.B, which consists of an anguar or curved frame or arm, C, from which rises a post, D, and has its other end formed with a boss, E, in which nts a holding and tightening screw, F, whereby the clamps are readily applied to the table and secured thereto. The post D has, at its upper end, a shoulder, G, and a similar shoulder, H, at its lower end, the portion between the shoulders being rounded and smoothed. J represents a flat band, which is passed around the posts of the clamps, and its ends are secured by a buckle or other fastening, K. When the band is in use it will be tightened or stretched on the posts and prevented from vertical displacement by means of the shoulders G H. The smooth portions of the posts form unbroken surfaces for the band and prevent chafing of the latter, both in tightening it audits m0- tions incident to use. The band, being sufficiently elastic, forms the cushion for the balls L, which are of ordinary construction. Its iiat and wide nature prevents the balls from jumping over it or escaping therefroma result which is common where` cords are employed.

The cue M for the game will be made in sections N N, which are removably connected by means of metal sockets I", into which fit the diminished or contracted ends It of the sections, which ends and sockets are correspondingly screw-threaded, so that the joints of the. sections may be fully tightened, and

the cuehave a uniform or smooth surface and present the appearance of a single piece. The sections, being thus constructed, may be taken apart and folded together, and inthis condition nicely packed, as in Fig. 4, wherein is illustrated the box or casing S for the game. This casin g is provided with divisions for the folded cue M, the clamps and posts B D, the rolled cushion-band J, and balls L, whereby the entire game may be inclosed in a small compass and is conveniently portable; but the parts are at all times readily applicable for the requirements and purposes of the game.

I am aware that a patent was granted to H. M. Whitefor a parlor-game, dated February 2, 1869; but my invention differs from his in several important particulars, and I therefore lay no claim to his invention. In lieu of the cords employed by him as a cushion, which are made to enter notches in the posts, which require much time to arrange, and which are extremely liable to displacement from the blow of a ball against them. I employ a band and shouldered posts, the former of which is easily and quickly arranged around the posts, and which is entirely secure from vertical displacement in consequence of the shoulders on the posts. N or is there any liability to the breaking of my band, as there would be were cords employed.

` Having thus described my invention, What l claim as new, and desire to secure by Let- The above signed by me this `13th day of February, 1872.

HERMAN MEYER.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERsHEIM, ALFRED C. SAVIDGE. 

